“Romania 🇷🇴 ~Peles Castle and Memories in Sinaia”
I don’t have a lot of words to describe this incredible Palace. It’s absolutely perfect in every authentic way!
I have seen many opulent Palaces all around the world, and there are aways strict rules to know before entering. Not being able to take photos is a tough rule for me (us). Also, most of the time a full tour of a Palace is not allowed; many rooms are often blocked off. This is just something every body has to roll with.
The first time I was here, at Peles, photos we not allowed. Not just a flash thing; no photos at all. Also, many rooms were closed-off from viewing. Obviously, I was very disappointed. But, it was wonderful to see, regardless. It was winter, when I was here, about seven years ago, so my girlfriend and I had to don booties over our shoes, to protect the carpets. Yesterday, in the dry season, we did not have to don booties. Not only that, but we got to take photos: for an extra fee and the whole Palace was open for viewing. We scored!
Commissioned by King Carol I in 1873. He was the first prince of Romania. He visited the area in August 1866. The view of the region, with the first touches of autumn, inspired him and he fell in love with its beauty. King Carol I was brought from the south of Germany to become the ruler of Romania and help it become an independent nation.
In this time of 1877, Romania was proclaimed an independent and sovereign nation with the help of Carol I. After that, in 1881, Carol I was proclaimed the first King of Romania.
The Castle was completed in 1883, and served as the summer residence for the royal family until 1947. Its 160 rooms are adorned with the finest examples of European art, Murano crystal chandeliers, German stained-glass windows and Cordoba leather-covered walls. King Carol spared no expense!
Peles Castle was the first European castle to have electricity, it even has its own power plant. The Castle has hot and cold running water, central heat and a central vacuum system. The stain glass roof of the foyer opens mechanically and there is a small elevator for use by the royal family.
Each room is decorated in a different style or theme.
There is a Concert Hall, Music Room (India), Turkish Salon, Great Salon (Italy),
Council Room (Switzerland), Moor Hall, and so much more.
The Royal Library has a secret door, and the castle’s 60-seat Theater, with royal box, showed the first movie projection in Romania in 1906.
The Castle draws its name from neighboring Peles Creek, which passes right through the courtyard.
The furniture in the Music Room is carved of teak; a gift to King Carol I from the Maharajah of Kapurtala in India, while handmade silk embroideries adorn the ceiling and walls of the Turkish Salon.
The ceiling paintings and decorative frescoes in the Theater Hall were designed by the renowned Austrian artists Gustav Klimt and Frantz Matsch.
Over 4,000 European and Oriental pieces dating from the 15th to the 19th centuries are on display in the armories.
Many considered it a weird marriage. Carol was known as calculated and Elizabeth was more of a dreamer and passionate about literature. In 1870, Princess Maria, their only child was born. Unfortunately, at the age of 9 she died leaving Queen Elizabeth with a trauma she would never recover from.
As Carol I never had a son, he found himself searching for an heir to his throne. His brother Leopold and his first son William both refused, leaving only his second son, Ferdinand.
In 1886, Ferdinand was proclaimed Prince and the future heir to the throne. He married Lutheran Princess Marie of Edinburgh. Here Marie gave birth to two children in the first two years of marriage. They were named after the original Romanian Royal family:
Carol And Elizabeta.
Later on, she had their third child, Mărioara. She was nicknamed Mignon. In 1903 the Pelisor Castle was inaugurated. This would be the new royal family’s residence on the grounds of the Peles Castle. That same year the second son, prince Nicolae was born.
Princess Marie gave birth to two more children:
Princess Ileana, ,who became Archdukes of Austria through marriage and was left the Bran Castle as heritage.
Prince Mircea in 1913, died at only three years of age of typhoid fever.
After Carol I’s death, in 1914 and until 1927, Ferdinand was the King of Romania. He ruled during the first World War. In his efforts, he managed to grow the border of Romania to now include the regions of: Transylvania, Basarabia, and Bukovina.
As the new Royal family had many children, the next ruler in line; the new Romanian Prince, heir to the throne should have been Ferdinand’s firstborn son, Carol II. Unfortunately in his youth he was not interested in politics and ruling a country.
Carol II married Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark and had a son, Mihai. In 1925, Carol II sends an official decision of the Crown Council from Peles Castle, giving up his position as heir to the throne. The parliament at the time decided to make Prince Mihai, of only five years old, heir and appoint a regency council made up of three members including Prince Nicolae; Carol II brother.
After Ferdinand’s death, Romania faced numerous economic and political problems. They were caused by the inefficient style of ruling the country of the Regency council which determined Carol II to ask Romania to take him back as their King. On June 8, 1930, he retook his position as ruler of the country.
In 1944, Mihai made the brave decision to change sides and Romania continued fighting with the allies from that point on. After the war, he tried keeping the country out of the communist reign, but with no external support, he was obliged to sign the abdication certificate and flee the country.
He would not see the Romanian Royal Family’s residence, for several years. In the early 2000s, he regained ownership of the building. Only a few years later, in 2017 he died.
Still, Mihai wished that the current museum be kept in the building and be open for visitors. He left it in the management of Romanian’s Ministry of Culture and National Identity.
There was an open file and I snapped this photo. While staying at the Stavilar, it was too warm in the room, so we cracked the window. By doing so, we got to listen to the creek running, AND wolves howling! The next day, at Peles I took this photo of this animal running back into the woods. Wolf?
After our Palace time, we drove back to Stavilar hotel where I had stayed the night, which is within walking distance of the Peles Palace. I will show old and new photos there, again. Stavilar is an old structure, and I loved it. It is not fancy, but solid and historic.
When Mr Terrific and I rolled into Sinaia, around dark, I drove right to this place. I couldn’t believe it. I wanted to stay there again, but they had no vacancies. The old man who owns it was the one I spoke with. He did not remember me, but I remembered him. My friend and I had chose to stay there, because it was as close as we could get to (and afford) to get to the Pele Castle on foot; we had arrived by train the night before. The nice man thought it was too cold for us ladies to go, so he offered to take us up to the Palace, just as a kind gesture. He did not want any money. It was cold, and the cobblestones were icy. We accepted his kindness. It would have been a hard climb, since we slipped and slid all the way back down; but managed to stay upright.
When Daryl and I arrived to Stavilar, it was too dark to take photos, but we went back before, for sure, before we left Sinaia.
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About Us
Hello and Welcome to our Travel Blog Website, We enjoy writing about our experiences and taking photos of our adventuring along the way. Our names are: Daryl and Pen, but Daryl calls me “Bunny.” We met, quite randomly, whilst both… Read More